Following on from the strictest lockdown in Europe, Spain loosened restrictions earlier this month by allowing first children out for 1 hour per day of daily exercise and then progressing to allowing everyone out at specific times for up to one hour of exercise.

As of Today, the new phase now allows:

Movement

Citizens can move freely around the province of Malaga. All members of a family that live together can travel together in the same car and people with a second residence or holiday home in the same province can travel there too.

Businesses and Shops

Businesses with premises up to 400m can open to customers, but with private appointments. Shopping malls will remain closed until the next phase. A preferred timetable must be put in place for the over-65s.

Social

Up to 10 people can now meet either at a home or outside at a public establishment. All ages and conditions are allowed to meet with family and friends as long as any necessary precations and distancing is applicable where required.

Bars and Restaurants

Bars and restaurants are permitted to open their terrace areas only and with a maximum 50% capacity. Objects and table cloths must not be shared.

Hotels

Tourist hotels and accommodations are permitted to open their rooms, but not their communal areas.

We do hope to also be progressing then to phase 2 of the plan within the next two weeks which will see further restrictions limited. Things to come in phase two will be the opening of hotel communal areas (with lower capacities) opening of shopping malls with restricted capacity and possibly the opening of beaches.

We are being advised that Weddings will be permitted from June, with outdoor gatherings having more freedom of movement. We do not yet have the specifics for what restrictions may be put in to place for events.

Source of Data: El Pais en Ingles

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State of alarm here in Spain started on 14th March, and is due to finish on Saturday 9th May. We have endured the strictest lockdown in Europe, with the children only finally being let out for exercise from Sunday 26th April after 6 weeks of being indoors. We are still awaiting persmission for adults to exercise outside.

Unlike most countries around the World, Spain have not set dates for their de-escalation process, but have instead set it out in phases. The phases are hoped to last 2 weeks, but contagion levels will be evaluated at each stage before developing to the next and therefore each phase may be extended up to 6 weeks.

The initial phases are stated as:

Phase 0 (From 4th May)

Preparation for opening of small businesses, food delivery and hopefully adult outdoor exercise for 1 hour daily.

Phase 1 (From 11th May)

Opening of small commercial premises, terraces open but with a maximum capacity of 33%. Tourist accommodations to begin opening but with many restrictions and no use of communal areas. Preferential times put in place for over 65s.

Phase 2 (End of May)

Solitary sports such as fishing and hunting will be allowed. Opening of indoor spaces of bars and restaurants but with restrictions in place and maximum occupancy of 33%. It is said that funerals and weddings with attendance of 50% capcity of space will be allowed from the end of this phase also.

Phase 3 (mid June)

Flexibility of freedom of movement. Commercial centres and shops to open with increased capacity to 50%. Restaurants and bars to also increase capacity.

Phase 4 (end June)

A new normality begins…

Of course a lot of details are still to be finalised and it is believed that some regional governments will have different measures in place. Andalucia is suggesting timing restrictions for shops and restaurants to limit capacity. There’s also no confirmation yet of when International borders will open or  when public parks and beaches will be open. We suppose everything will be taken stage by stage and hope that each part of the process goes as well as possible.

As vague as the plan of action might be, at least we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s a huge relief!

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After a couple of our confirmed couples questioning us about the risks of getting married here in Spain, we have decided to put together a post sharing some facts:

Let’s start with how many people have this virus right now?

Around 80,000. That sounds like a huge amount, however around 77,000 of these people are in China, which is a staggering 96% of the total affected. So unless you are travelling from China to get married here in Spain, your risk is already dramatically less.

What happens if you are unlucky enough to catch Coronavirus?

Over 80% of cases of the virus are mild, and 14% are moderate which means they are full recoverable. Even if you are unlucky enough to be in the 5% of critical cases, the Covid-19 virus has only a 2% mortality rate. This mortality rate drops considerably also depending on your age, if you are under 50, the mortality rate is under 0.2%.

Covid-19 on the Costa del Sol

At the moment (correct as of 02/03/20) there are 6 confirmed cases of Coronavirus here in Andalucia. 3 in Fuengirola and 3 in Marbella. The infected persons are being monitored at home, with just one of them being in hospital in Sevilla. None of these cases have been reported as being critical and there have been no deaths in the area from this virus.

Let’s put this in to simple terms:

If you are under 50 and not living in China, then you are actually much more likely to win the lottery, which is a 1 in 45,000,000 chance than you are of actually dying from the Covid-19 virus.

If you’re still worried:

The best preventation to catching this virus is washing your hands. Your risk of catching the virus is not heightened by travelling.

In this day and age, millions of people travel daily, you are as likely to catch this virus in your hometown as you are in any other European city.

Stats from Sur in English and Project Nightfall

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Tradition states that on 29th February (the extra day occuring in a leap year, once every 4 years), that women can propose to men.

Of course, in this day and age women proposing on any date is more of a norm that it was in years gone by, but we’ve been taking a look at some inspiring womens’ proposals that have take place on this unique day over past years.

From names in lights on the London Eye to a classic romantic proposal, being the one in the know and in charge of the whole event must be quite a powerful feeling. While undoubtedly very nervewracking, we think this tradition bringing out any woman’s confidence and bravery is something to be celebrated.

If you did propose on Saturday 29th February (and your partner of course said yes!), then we have everything you need to start planning your Wedding in Spain here on the Costa del Sol. Check out our sample Wedding packages now, and please do contact us for more information.

Featured image courtesy of Paco Montagout.

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You’ll see us from a distance in our pink flamenco dresses represting the South of Spain!

We can provide you with all the information you need about getting married in Spain. Whether it be a Catholic Church ceremony, romantic blessing, beachfront ceremony or a reception only. We can help you with planning your perfect Wedding day in Spain.

We have complete Bespoke Wedding packages at a wide range of venues from frontline beach clubs, andalusian fincas to luxury resorts.

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Congratulations!

It’s a very popular time of the year indeed for marriage proposals. From the ring sitting on the tree, to opening up an extra special gift on Christmas morning, maybe a surprise engagement ring hiding in the Christmas pudding. These are just some of the wonderful proposal ideas that come to mind with a Christmas engagement.

If you have been waiting for the sparkly surprise and are feeling a bit bummed that it didn’t come your way this Christmas, then never fear, New Years is also a very popular time chosen to pop the big question. So for those who have been waiting, we hope tomorrow has in store for you that special proposal.

Once engaged, where on Earth do we start?

Once you are happily engaged, the thoughts then of getting married can sometimes become a little overwhelming: Do we want to get married soon, give it a year or two? Are we getting married at home? Do we want to get married abroad?

And those are just the thoughts in your own head(s), don’t even get us started on all the friends and family who suddenly each have their own idea and preference on when and where you special day should be taking place.

What’s our advice?

As wedding planners who have been in the Wedding industry for many years, we try our best to help couples navigate through these first few weeks of happiness, excitement and nerves.

The first piece of advice for me personally would be, breathe, just relax and enjoy that amazing and unique feeling of the person you want to spend the rest of your life with having put themselves on the line for you. Even if just for one day!

Of course you are going to be very excited and probably start looking in to ideas right away, but don’t make any snap decisions. If you think you’d like a Wedding abroad, for example, think of what the most important reasons that you’d like this are for you.

If you want to get married abroad because you love a rustic vibe, or because you love Mediteranean food, try and keep those wishes close to your heart through the researching stages. Although you will ultimately probably worry about your guests’ food preferences as well, it’s important that the day is special for the two of you above all else.

Where to start?

Well, as you may assume from the name “Bespoke Weddings Spain“, we can only help you with Weddings in Spain.

We have put together some sample complete Wedding packages, which from our experience give you a good overall budget idea for getting married on the Costa del Sol. We are fully aware that there are many budget package options available in the surrounding area, but from our extensive experience, we feel the package we created gives you a realistic costing guideline and avoids too many additional costs being added along the way.

We’re also hear and happy to help with any questions and queries that you may have at the start of your Wedding planning journey. No questions is too small or too silly, be sure we’ve heard (almost) all of them before!

For more information about any of our venues listed here on the website, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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After the “I do’s” the happy couple and their friends and family headed over to Benalmadena Finca where they celebrated their drinks reception, canapes, meal and evening entertainment with full exclusivity.

The food at this venue is renowned as being some of the best in the area. All Weddings booked here get to enjoy the taster meal experience before their big day where they can choose the perfect menu options to share with their guests.

Special extras really brought the venue to life and gave the couple a truly unique setting for their Wedding celebrations. LED Dancefloor and light up letters can be seen in this photograph:

This couple chose August for their Wedding month, and although it was a little warm to say the least, the couple thoroughly enjoyed their Wedding day from start to finish.

Wedding planning by Eve at Bespoke Weddings Spain

Photos courtesy of Paco Montagut Photography Spain

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Get Cultured!

Why not head in to Malaga Capital and check out the Picasso Museum. Great for the whole family and easily combined with a spot of lunch or some shopping in the cosmopolitan centre. Entrance price for the museum is from just 8€, and you can buy them here>

Hit the Shops

Although when visiting the coast in “holiday-mode” you may not have much need for a shopping centre, when the weather’s a bit on the wet side, you’ll be delighted to learn that we have some amazing shopping centres dotted all the way from Malaga to Gibraltar including: Plaza Mayor in Malaga, Miramar in Fuengirola and La Cañada in Marbella.

Catch a flick, in English!

You may have assumed that Spanish cinemas show only films in Spanish, but this is not true, they also show selected new release films in “Version Original (VO)”, which are in English. You can see which films are on in English and their times on the websites of each cinema, just look out for the letters V.O or V.O.S next to the title to make sure you catch the English screening.

Treat yourself to a Spa Day

Day passes are available at most spas along the Costa del Sol, and boy are there a lot of spas here. In hotels, in leisure centres and even at some of the 5 star beach clubs. If you’re feeling truly deserving then why not make a full day of it by spoiling yourself with a treatment or two as well! Some of the most popular spas along the coast include: Nagomi Spa Benalmadena, Estrella del Mar in Marbella, Florida Spa in Fuengirola, La Cala Resort Spa in Mijas Costa.

Entertain the kids

Although the beach and swimming pool are our usual go tos when holidaying with children to the Costa del Sol, if rain strikes, don’t fear, there’s still plenty of ways to keep them entertained. From Sealife in Benalmadena Marina to soft play centres like YoYuba in Fuengirola, Fantasy land in La Cala de Mijas and Mundo Mania in Estepona. There’s also indoor pools dotted along the coast, both in hotels and the municipal pools where you can purchase a day pass if saying no to swimming is simply not happening!

Test out some of the local produce

Failing all else, Spain is renowned for it’s wine, tapas and of course cerveza (beer!)
Whether you’re thinking professional wine tasting, or just a trip to a traditional tapas bar, you’re never far from either.

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We always aim to keep our Website, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest sites as updated as possible, and there’s a huge amount of pictures to browse through as you begin planning your wedding in Spain. However, whether you’ve seen one photo or one thousand, it’s understandable that you may not necessarily be ready to book without having seen first hand what the venue is really like. At Bespoke Weddings Spain, we strongly encourage venue visit/s prior to the reservation of any Wedding date, we want you to be absolutely certain you have the venue that’s perfect for your big day.

In the past we have charged flat fees for venue visits, whether it’s 2 or 4 locations that are being visited. We’ve recently changed this and venue visits are now charged per venue. Depending on the locations and number of venues visited, prices start from just 30€ per venue. We want to make this an affordable service for couples so that they can see plenty of options before securing their favourite.

So if you’re thinking about getting married on the Costa del Sol and have an upcoming holiday booked here, let us know the venues you like and we’d be happy to book you in!

Please note that some of our venues do close during the low season here, so if you are booking to come over to Spanish especially for your Wedding venue visits, it’s best to check with your planner first that your preferred venue/s are available to view on the dates you are visiting.

For more information or to arrange a venue visit trip, please visit the website or contact us:

www.bespokeweddingsspain.com
melissa@bespokeweddingsspain.com
eve@bespokeweddingsspain.com
Tel/Whatsapp: 0034 685 890 053

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Our recommended booking time for a Church Wedding is usually minimum 6 months, but if you have your home parish priest on side then it is sometimes possible to get things arranged more quickly.

Catherine and Javier, who are both teachers had to wait for the Easter holidays to come out and visit and choose their preferred wedding venue and church. They arrived here late on Easter Saturday, which meant we had no other option but to do the venue visiting on Easter Sunday, which in itself is quite a challenge as many roads and towns are closed for processions.

As Catherine and Javier wee staying in central Malaga and I couldn’t get in to pick them up, we met at nearby Plaza Mayor and set off from there.

We looked around 4 different venues along the Costa del Sol before the couple fell totally in love with Gran Melia Don Pepe in Marbella. This in turn brought a further challenge, the closest Catholic Church to this venue would be the magnificent Cathedral Señora de la Encarnacion in Marbella centre, but this are was again completely closed for Easter processions.

Back on Easter Sunday we settled for the idea of looking at the Church in photos and videos to give them an idea of the place, and after returning the couple to Malaga they decided that on the Sunday night they would take the direct bus in to Marbella centre to see the place for themselves.

Sure enough, they fell in love, and they knew this was the perfect setting for where they would say their Wedding vows.

The next challenge we faced was finding a date. It had to be early Summer holidays for the teaching pair, and then also a weekend date so that Javier’s family could travel down from Northern Spain just for the weekend.

Getting a Friday date at the cathedral in Marbella with such short notice is a tall order, and sure enough by the time we went to confirm the booking there was no availability.

There was another option though – Unusually, Saturday 3rd August there was availability for a 5pm ceremony, but it would have to be prodominantly performed in Spanish.

After a lot of thinking, the couple decided this would be perfect, and Catherine got back to studying her Spanish, while Javier was in lots of talks with the Priest convincing him to do the vows for Catherine in English.

At the ceremony rehearsal the night before the Wedding, listening to the bilingual ceremony play out just perfectly, there wasn’t a dry eye around. The love this couple shared was truly awe inspiring.

On Saturday 3rd August 2019, Catherine and Javier celebrated their unique and whirlwind Wedding and it went without a hitch.

After the ceremony the couple headed back to their seafront drinks reception at Don Pepe, which again had not been an easy call at 7pm on a Saturday in Marbella’s highest possible season.

Our beautiful bride got her ocean backdrop though, and wow were the photos not a testimonial in themselves to what a beautiful day it had been.

The couples celebrated their Wedding reception in the glass curtained garden suite with elegant white decor and a decadent 5 course Wedding meal.

Windows of the reception venue open fully to offer an al-fresco yet shaded setting.

Tables were named after the cities the pair had visited.

Although the wedding planning journey with this couple was shorter than the usual 1-2 years, it was intense and inspiring.
It was a joy to be a part of their planning and see the hard work come together for a beautiful Wedding day.

Photos courtesy of Paco Montagout Team

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